Fiery Cross Reef

Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China’s runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials. Diplomats and military officers told Reuters that intelligence shows Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into … Continue reading →

Beijing denied a US aircraft carrier permission to make a port call in Hong Kong, a US consulate official says, a rejection that comes amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry told the US on Thursday night the visit by the USS John C. Stennis would not be allowed, said … Continue reading →

The following is based on a translation of an article on a Chinese news site: Chinese military commentator Du Songtao says that China’s airport on Fiery Cross Reef, with an area of 23,000 square meters and a runway 3,125 meters long, can accommodate the simultaneous operation of 8-10 Boeing 737 airliners for civil purposes, including … Continue reading →

No one is happier today than Beijing. More hoops for law-abiding gun owners to hop through means an easier cakewalk if China invaded it’s number one enemy. Without the logistic ability to invade the US, all of China’s antics in the Pacific, including landing the first plane on their man-made military islands, are dead in … Continue reading →

The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news website: Major Chinese military site mil.huanqiu.com has published photos of Chinese oil rigs to the southwest of China’s Hainan Island and the patrol amphibious aircraft and ship that protect the oil rigs. The waters to the southwest of China’s Hainan Island … Continue reading →

Coordination among India, Japan and the U.S. on security cooperation and economic ties are essential because they can fundamentally talk about how they can “shape China’s rise in a peaceful way”, said Nicholas Szechenyi, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow – Japan Chair at the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS). “India has unique interests … Continue reading →

The following is based on a translation of a report in Chinese media: A report in mil.huanqiu.com titled”Yongshu Reef (Fiery Cross Reef) will be China’s foothold in Nansha (Spratly) for counterblow at US, Philippine and others’ provocation” has stressed the Chinese government‘s commitment to the military use of an artificial island in the South China … Continue reading →

The following is based on a translation of a report in Chinese media: The “On Military and War” column of news.ifeng.com published an article titled “Turning Mischief Reef into the Pearl Harbor of the South China Sea is of vital importance” on the advantages of the artificial island reclaimed there in serving as China’s forefront … Continue reading →

The following is based on a translation from Chinese media: China reported some time ago that it was developing large ground effect vehicles as a means of transport between China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea. In this way, China hopes to strengthen its claim on the South China Sea A ground effect vehicle … Continue reading →

Leading U.S. senators expressed alarm on Thursday at the scale and speed of China’s land reclamation in the South China Sea and said a formal U.S. strategy was needed to slow or stop the work. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Defence Secretary Ash Carter, Republican Senators John McCain … Continue reading →

The following is a translation from Chinese media: In addition to the artificial islands China has been building on Johnson South Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Hughes Reef, Mckennan Reef, Gaven Reef, Eldad Reef, Fiery Cross Reef and Mischief Reef, China has also been building artificial islands on one more reef – the Subi Reef in the … Continue reading →

In my article “Chinese Troops to Seize Zhongye Island Back from the Philippines in 2014” on January 11, 2014, I said, Chinese troops were planning to seize Zhongye Island back from the Philippines in 2014”. In my article two days later, I said, “The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the Ford costs $12.8 billion to build … Continue reading →

The following are the views of the original author, and not necessarily those of China Daily Mail: Apart from their frantic dredging and island-building in the South China Sea, China is now also building an air and naval base in the Nanji Islands (27° 27’ N, 121° 04’ E) which is the closest part of … Continue reading →

Last week the US State Department released a useful report on China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. As M Taylor Fravel tweeted, it is a must-read for anyone interested in maritime security, the law of the sea, or China’s foreign policy. The report focuses on China’s so-called ‘nine-dashed line‘ and the different interpretations … Continue reading →

Vietnam on Tuesday showed off its two most powerful warships in the first-ever port call to the Philippines, but an official said it was not trying to challenge China’s superior naval forces amid tension in the South China Sea. Hanoi invited the diplomatic community to its Russian-built frigates, which were docked in Manila Bay at … Continue reading →

Satellite images show China is building an island on a reef in the disputed Spratly Islands large enough to accommodate what could be its first offshore airstrip in the South China Sea, a leading defence publication said. The construction has stoked concern that China may be converting disputed territory in the mineral-rich archipelago into military … Continue reading →

The following is based on translations from Chinese media: On February 12, I said in my post “China to Build US$5 Billion South China Sea Military Base at Fiery Cross Reef” that according to an informed source, China would spend US$5 billion to build a military base and a fishery/fish farming base respectively on Fiery … Continue reading →

The Philippines will propose a freeze on all activity that raises tension in disputed waters in the South China Sea as part of a three-part plan at a regional security meeting next month, Manila‘s foreign minister said on Tuesday. Southeast Asian foreign ministers will hold security talks with various counterparts including those from the United … Continue reading →

China, involved in a growing dispute with its neighbours over the energy-rich South China Sea, wants to promote peaceful development of the oceans, Premier Li Keqiang said, warning conflicts in the past had only brought “disaster for humanity”. China claims almost the entire ocean, rejecting rival claims to parts of it from Vietnam, the Philippines, … Continue reading →

China’s top diplomat will visit Vietnam on Wednesday in a sign the two countries want to ease tensions over China’s deployment of an oil rig in the disputed South China Sea, but experts said there were many obstacles to healing the ruptured relationship. The visit by State Councilor Yang Jiechi, who outranks the foreign minister, … Continue reading →

The following is a summary of translations from Chinese media: China’s large-scale reclamation of land on five reefs to set up military, fishing, fish farming and tourism bases in the South China Sea and construction of a school on Woody Island have given rise to quite lot of speculation amongst Western military experts. They believe … Continue reading →

The following is a translation from Chinese media: China believes that it’s reclamation of land on Johnson South Reef can monitor and control three countries – Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. China also believes that the construction of an artificial island will give it control of the sea lanes in the South China Sea. Chigua Reef, … Continue reading →

The following article was translated from Chinese media. Sources say due to changes in the international situation and the need to resolve South China Sea issues, Chinese military have recently drawn up a plan to conduct reclamation at Mischief and Fiery Cross Reefs. The construction of the two artificial islands will serve the same purpose … Continue reading →